Reticuloid Walker

I was in need of a visitor presence on the level 6 random encounter table so I turned to Xcom (the reboot, image included) and a little bit of TSAO: 50 Wonders of the Reticulan Empire. Inspired, I created the Reticuloid Walker, drawing on the flying saucer and visitor tank to get me somewhere in between. Given it’s a vehicle, I have also provided stats for its use as an vehicle you can find as visitor treasure.

Reticuloid Walker

The Reticuloid Walker stoops on two legs and enjoys strong armor protection. Designed for urban and ship-to-ship combat it carries a rapid-fire pulse plasma launcher and dreaded flamethrower. Reticuloid walkers are normally seen operating in squads of two or more, sometimes supporting a heavier tank as a reconnaissance and anti-infantry section. The Reticuloid is 9’ high and has small tool arms used to carry equipment and navigate its environment, though these limbs are too unwieldy to be used in combat.

Stat block (large machine)

% In Lair: Dungeon Enc: Wilderness Enc: Treasure Type / XP:	None Squad (1d4+1) Platoon (2d6) Special x3 / 1,490
Hit Dice: Armor Class: Save: Special Def.:	7*** 8 F4 Advanced Materials (Immune mundane weapons, artillery/gigantic creatures 1/10 damage, magic/colossal creatures 1/5 damage; damaged by technology sources), Vulnerable (electricity), Lightning Paralysis (Save +2), Immune (disease and poison)
Movement: Attacks: Morale: Special Off.:	150’ (50’) Pulse plasma launcher (2x 4+ /2d6 /360’ range) 0 Plasma Flamethrower (5d6, 30’ long and 10’ wide)

Reticuloid Walkers are Visitor ground vehicles. A reticuloid is a stopped two legged walker adapted to combat onboard a vessel. They are frightening to behold and can easily defeat creatures and forces of a lower technological level. The Visitors use reticuloid walkers as reconnaissance vehicles or as support for infantry or heavier vehicles. 

They can attack with a rapid-fire pulse plasma launcher or a flamethrower.  Both weapons may be used while engaged in melee combat. The rapid fire plasma launcher fires two bursts of plasma each round, similar to a handheld plasma rifle though it draws power directly from the walker's reactor. The plasma flamethrower draws its energy directly from the walker’s reactor to generate a super-heated cone of liquefied burning matter, 30' long and 10' wide. Any creature caught in the flamer’s blast suffers 5d6 points of fire damage. A successful saving throw vs. Blast halves this damage. Any target damaged by the initial blast will suffer an additional 1d6 points of fire damage in the following round as the liquefied matter continues to burn. The flames will also ignite any flammable material within the blast area. 

They are constructed of the same highly durable shining silvery-gold metal used in flying saucers. The advanced alien material renders them very difficult to damage. Technological weapons deal full damage to walkers, but the walkers cannot be harmed by other man-sized weapons, nor by fire, by wood-throwing artillery, or by natural attacks from creatures of huge size or smaller. Stone-throwing artillery and gigantic creatures deal only 1/10th damage to walkers, while colossal creatures and magic deal only 1/5th damage. However, like other machines, walkers are vulnerable to lightning damage and take double damage from any electricity-based attack, such as the various lightning spells. Additionally, any walker hit by an electricity attack must make a successful save vs. Paralysis or have its computers scrambled, rendering it unable to move and unable to use its weapons and special abilities for the next combat round. Walkers have hardened electronics and enjoy a +2 bonus to this saving throw. Unlike robots, walkers are vulnerable to mind-affecting spells (which target their Visitors pilots), but they are still immune to disease and poison as they have environmental seals against these attacks. All walkers carry loot as per the Visitor saucer loot table, BCK p.108.

New item: Reticuloid walker

The walker is a two-legged weapons platform designed to enforce the visitors' superiority throughout their domains. The walker dominates the battle field, with AC 8 and 7 HD. Like a flying saucer (BCK p. 74), a walker cannot be harmed by ordinary man-sized weapons, fire, wood-throwing artillery, or natural attacks from creatures of huge size or smaller. Stone- throwing artillery and gigantic creatures deal only 1/10th damage, while colossal creatures and magic deal only 1/5th damage. However, Visitor weapons deal full damage to walkers, and electricity-based attacks deal double damage.

They can attack with a rapid-fire pulse plasma launcher or a plasma flamethrower, both weapons may be used while engaged in melee combat. The rapid-fire pulse plasma launcher fires two bursts of plasma each round with a 300' range dealing 2d6 points of fire damage. The flamethrower draws its energy directly from the walker’s reactor to generate a super-heated cone of liquefied burning matter, 30' long and 10' wide. Any creature caught in the flamer’s blast suffers 5d6 points of fire damage. A successful saving throw vs. Blast halves this damage. Any target damaged by the initial blast will suffer an additional 1d6 points of fire damage in the following round as the liquefied matter continues to burn. The flames will also ignite any flammable material within the blast area.

The walker is agile and capable of great speed, moving at a rapid pace of 150' (50'). It carries only a pilot and up to 10 stone of cargo within its hull. Any character within the walker is completely protected from any airborne toxin, smoke, and radiation. The pilot must be an arcane spellcaster (or qualify as one, eg. scientific mindset or technological dabbling) and must be familiar with the vehicle in order to use it properly. The operator's control systems have night-vision optics, allowing them to see up to their line of sight even in total darkness. A powerful and efficient reactor powers the walker, requiring one energy crystal per four hours of operation. It's fuel compartment contains enough space for up to 10 crystals.

Notes

I gave it a special for being a machine, even though I took away mind-affecting immunity. 

The advanced materials powers seem to be worth a bit over a special, while the flamethrower is a bit under as its an alternative weapon. All up these two are worth another two specials. It could be argued that it should be a bit lower, but I'm overall happy with three.

The Smiaceans

Back to exploring my setting through its inhabitants. One common element I want in a crashed thousand year old massive spaceship is lots of fungus! Plants will be limited but fungus can grow without sunlight so I want lots of it. Myconoids seem… too friendly. So to fill the ranks of humanoids I created vampire fungus to gross out my players.

The Smiaceans

The Smiceans, or vampire fungus, are a race of sentient mobile fungoids or myceloids. It’s not known if they developed or evolved on the world ship or were native to some lost alien world destroyed by the visitors. Both remain possibilities given the Smiaceans lack a written history, living a mostly nomadic life. 

In form they are roughly humanoid with long multi-segmented arm-like structures able to reach around their body. They have a slight stoop with the back of their torso and head covered in root like structures. Their four sturdy clustered legs enable them to hunt and pursue food with deceptive speed.

Biologically they are similar to other fungi and are heterotrophic in nature, but their form of sustenance capture and transportation is particularly hideous to humans and other sentient beings. They kill animals and place the dead bodies over their back where their roots grow into the corpse. Over the next few months they draw sustenance from this dead body, be it human, cattle, or dinosaur. This form of digestion gives a foul stench as they carry around the rotting dead and it's accompanying odours. Lacking food they can enter a shriveled hibernation state and are able to be restored through being covered in blood or other high energy liquid biomatter.

Lacking a mouth or vocal cords makes communication difficult with these sentient creatures. While they are all innately telepathic they often have little interest or need to talk to their food. Their language can be learned, referred to as Smiacean, and consists of gesturing combined with telepathic thought transfer. Small Endjinn communities have been known to develop relations with them as they are ‘not food’, but Smiceans are generally poor neighbors as they have trouble seeing even farm animals as anything but their own food to take.

Smiaceans (large humanoid plant)

% In Lair: Dungeon Enc: Wilderness Enc: Treasure Type / XP:	10% Spinny (2d4) / Copse (2d8) Copse (2d8) / Bloom (4d8) I, I / 190
Hit Dice: Armor Class: Save: Special Def.:	4** 4 F4 Plant immunities (charm, sleep, hold, stunning, poison; not designed for plants)
Movement: Attacks: Morale: Special Off.:	120’ (40’) 2 Talons (7+/1d6) 0 Foul stench (save vs. poison or nauseated if within 10 ft.), Telepathic

Smiaceans are 8’ to 9’ tall sentient fungoids with four clustered legs and two elongated multi segmented limbs. They are a semi-nomadic and aggressive race that see humans and animals as food. Lacking mouths they eat by attaching dead humanoids or animals to their back root structures, slowly consuming them. They communicate primarily through telepathy and limited gestures, with all smiceans being telepathic. This ‘language’ is known as Smiacean, but very few telepathic races can learn it given smiacean tendencies to consume those of a scholarly pursuit. Smiceans are immune to charm, sleep, and hold spells, to stunning, and to poisons not designed to work on fungi.

The foul stench of animal and humanoid corpses rotting on the back root structure of smiaceans can cause nausea in even the most hardy folk. Any creature that comes within 10 ft. of a smiacean must make a successful saving throw vs. Poison or become nauseated. While nauseated a creature cannot attack, cast spells, or speak, though it can still defend itself (e.g. it is not vulnerable). A nauseated creature can move away from the source of nausea, but cannot otherwise move or take actions in lieu of moving. This condition lasts as long as the creature is in proximity to the smiacean and for 1d4+1 rounds after it leaves. Any creature that succeeds on its save but remains in proximity must continue to save each round.

When encountered as a wandering monster there is a 25% chance that the creatures carried on the Smiacean's back will be carrying treasure. While the gruesome task of removing such treasure is unpleasant it can yield the equivalent of an F treasure type on the treasure table (1,500 gp and 7% chance of magic item). 

When laired a leader smiacean is present in addition to strategic placements of shriekers, violet fungus and archer fungus for protection. Smicean leaders are 10’ tall giants that carry multiple corpses on their backs and have powerful psionic powers. They count as 7**** hit dice creatures doing 1d8 damage with their talons and having arcane caster abilities at 7th level. This permits them to cast the following number of spells each day: 3 first level, 2 second level, 2 third level and 1 fourth level. Unlike other casters their spells do not require a spell book and lacking mouths their casting is completely silent, but they can still be interrupted as they must concentrate when channeling powerful energies. Their repertoire commonly includes the spells mage fingers (BCK), chameleon (PC) and wall of spores (as wall of smoke PC) at first level; blink (BCK) and ESP at second level; bygone (BCK) and mind blast (BCK) at third level; charm monster at fourth level.

Notes

I’m deliberately making them for large encounter numbers at dungeon level 4.

As a humanoid plant I gave it a better save. Given it will sit at the lower end of dungeon level 4 encounters this will help it a little.

The wandering monster treasure is benchmarked at base divided by 5.

For the leader I really wanted a psionic power system (or psionic/arcane hybrid "will" magic system) but currently use arcane as a proxy. Tried to flavour the recommended spells towards manipulating their bodies, psychoportation and mental powers.

The Human Mechanist

Given I have been a bit human centric in this world I am building and I'm not using divine magic on the world ship due to the "reality filters" I need a new mechanist class. For this I have flip flopped between a few builds but settled on one that uses the thief allocations. Here it is, and a new synergy at the end (this was edited after release, see notes below).

Mechanist

Prime Requisite: INT
Requirements: None
Hit Dice: d4

Maximum Level: 14

The mechanists of the Gaumont Empire have passed down the traditions of their ancestors' technology to this day. Knowledge of steam, cog, piston and clockwork relays. With this they can construct automatons that border on the magical, though the colleges themselves have lost some knowledge of the magical/automaton fusions of their predecessors. In other setting this class can be used as a mechanist for human classes that lacks direct magical abilities.

After their graduation to journeyman many mechanists stay on as assistants at the great forges in capitals such as Neo Valliswa or Fort Marchal, but most do not. Spurred on to test their graduation project in the wild a great many join military or adventuring companies to test their metal and their mettle.

Mechanists are accustomed to wearing armor and defending their foundries. They are capable combatant but are only trained in a select range of weapons, though through their ingenuity many of these are often enhanced. At first level, mechanists hit an unarmored foe (AC 0) with an attack throw of 10+. They advance in attack throws and saving throws by two points every four levels of experience (as thief’s). They may fight wielding a weapon and shield or a wielding a weapon two-handed but cannot dual wield. Mechanists may wear all types of armor but are proficient in only a small group of weapons, including the crossbow, dagger, hand axe, mace, sword, and warhammer. The martial training class proficiency may be taken to train in more weapons. They may use any magic item usable by thieves.

A mechanist's main area of expertise is their ability to design, build, and repair automatons. Automatons are machines similar to magical constructs, but using clockwork, steam engines, gears, and valves in place of dweomercraft. Rules relating to this ability are available in the machinery to the max Autarch Patreon article or in the Dwarven Mechanist in the Companion.

A significant milestone in the training of a mechanist is the creation of their own advanced personal automaton which they possess at first level. The creation of this device marks the transition from apprentice to journeyman and they take great pride in this device, continuing to tinker and improve upon its design as they move on to bigger projects. Constant tinkering and experimentation sees the innate value of the automaton increase by 1,000gp every time the character levels, as shown in the level profession table below.

All this advanced mechanical knowledge can be applied to some of the more mundane tasks required of an adventurer allowing them to open locks, find traps and remove traps as thieves of their level, this is shown in the table below.

The mechanist's technological knack allows them to attempt to use scanners, advanced robots, cloning vats, scanners, and other advanced alien technology only usable by mages (as the technological dabbling proficiency). At level 1, the character must make a proficiency throw of 18+ to use the technology. On a failed throw, the attempt backfires (use the On-the-Spot mishap table, BCK p.96). The proficiency throw required reduces by 2 per level, to a minimum of 3+. In settings without alien technology replace this with the bard arcane dabbling proficiency to reflect applying mechanical thought to arcane devices.

By level seven the mechanist chooses a field of specialisation from one of the three key automaton skills. They receive one of following three proficiencies selected from inventing, jury rigging, or tinkering to reflect this focus.

At 9th level the mechanist perfects their skills at precision engineering making them less likely to suffer setbacks or failures during a build. When building an automaton, the player may roll twice and choose the preferred result to apply. A mechanist may also build a foundry when they reach 9th level. These extensive workshops and libraries are places where great machines are built. They will then attract 1d6 assistants of 1st-3rd level plus 2d6 apprentices seeking to become mechanists. While in the mechanist's service, assistants and apprentices must be provided food and lodging, but need not be paid wages. Assistants will lead projects under supervision to design or build automatons in addition to working with apprentices to prepare mechanical materials. For more details on foundries refer to the blog post the foundry.

By 12th level the mechanists workshop has the tools and equipment to allow mass production of simpler automaton. This allows them to build automatons with a hit dice half their own with half the cost and time required. A workshop requires retooling and setup to facilitate this efficient production approach but still requires the expert knowledge of the mechanist for the benefit to apply limiting its use to their direct builds.

Mechanist Proficiency List (28): Alchemy, Alertness, Alien Lore, Arcane Dabbling, Art, Bargain, Blind Fighting, Climbing, Combat Reflexes, Combat Trickery (disarm, incapacitate), Craft, Eavesdropping, Engineering, Fighting Style, Inventing, Jury Rigging, Lockpicking, Loremastery, Martial Training, Mechanical Engineering, Precise Shooting, Scavenging, Siege Engineering, Tinkering, Trap finding, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus.

Field Mechanic Template: This pre-generated template represents a field mechanic who is trained in military support for platoons or companies of troops. Along with their trusting Ironwright personal automaton they support the front line along the various conflict zones at the border of the Gaumont empire. The template is ready for adventure. However, if your mechanist’s INT is 13 or greater, you may pick one or more additional general proficiencies before play if you’d like (see Starting Proficiencies in Chapter 4 of ACKS).

Template: Field Mechanic

Proficiencies: Scavenging, Siege engineering

Personal Automaton: Ironwright soldier with +1 AC due to an extra # from scavenging proficiency reduction in cost.

Starting Equipment: Warhammer, banded mail armor, armigers clothing, steel capped leather boots, backpack, tinderbox, 12 torches, iron spikes (12), hammer (small), rope (50' length), machinist’s tools, one weeks iron rations, 6 gp (7 2/6 st., Move 60’/20’)

Mechanist Level Progression

Exp.	Title	Lvl.	Hit Dice	Open Locks	Find/ Remove Traps	Design/  Build/ Repair Automaton	Automaton Value (gp)	Technological Dabbling
0	Journeyman	1	1d4	18+	18+	17+	7,000	18+
1,250	Forger	2	2d4	17+	17+	16+	8,000	16+
2,500	Builder	3	3d4	16+	16+	15+	9,000	14+
5,000	Shaper	4	4d4	15+	15+	14+	10,000	12+
10,000	Gadgeteer	5	5d4	14+	14+	13+	11,000	10+
20,000	Maker	6	6d4	12+	13+	12+	12,000	8+
40,000	Constructor	7	7d4	10+	11+	11+	13,000	6+
80,000	Artisan	8	8d4	8+	9+	10+	14,000	4+
180,000	Mechanist	9	9d4	6+	7+	9+	15,000	3+
280,000	Mechanist, 10th level	10	9d4+2*	4+	5+	8+	16,000	3+
380,000	Mechanist, 11th level	11	9d4+4*	3+	3+	7+	17,000	3+
480,000	Mechanist, 12th level	12	9d4+6*	2+	2+	6+	18,000	3+
580,000	Mechanist, 13th level	13	9d4+8*	1+	2+	5+	19,000	3+
680,000	Creator	14	9d4+10*	1+	1+	4+	20,000	3+

Mechanist (Thief) Attack and Saving Throws

Level	Petrifaction & Paralysis	Poison & Death	Blast & Breath	Staffs & Wands	Spells	Attack Throw
1-2	13+	13+	16+	14+	15+	10+
3-4	12+	12+	15+	13+	14+	9+
5-6	11+	11+	14+	12+	13+	8+
7-8	10+	10+	13+	11+	12+	7+
9-10	9+	9+	12+	10+	11+	6+
11-12	8+	8+	11+	9+	10+	5+
13-14	7+	7+	10+	8+	9+	4+

Mechanists and Thief Synergies

Under my earlier proposal I would tie the thief synergies to the thief class rating, in this case three synergies. But the problem with this is evident, they only have three actual thief skills. In a way the synergies would be overcompensating, or rewarding a limited thief build as opposed to a full thief. I think in hindsight, if you use thief synergies then the limit should be based of the number of skills taken relative to the thief rating, ie you take three you get one, five gives two, ten gives three, etc.

As such, the Mechanist could choose from Trap Mastery, or the new Cantrip of Disabling below. This would equally apply to the Nephil or Dwarven Mechanist if used in a game.

New Thief Synergy: Cantrip of Disabling

The two thief skills relating to what third edition would title “disable device” both come up short when compared to a spell. Rather than just directly replace them with an at will spell, this synergy seeks to add it to thief classes through a synergy. It’s not a far leap to do so given thieves eventually learn to read from scrolls anyway. The limited use and tie to intelligence reflect its arcane spell nature. In a non-magical setting this could be a device, like an auto-pick, that requires recharge each day and limited use due to the need for servicing (Rename it device of unlocking).

Cantrip of disabling (remove traps + open lock): the character has used the mastery and knowledge of devices to learn a minor cantrip that assists them with disabling small devices. They may remove traps or open locks in a single round four times per day, modified by their intelligence bonus or penalty. They still require any relevant tools when performing this action.

Mechanist build notes

Allocations: FTR 1a, THF 3

Max level: 14

Weapons (Narrow): crossbow, dagger, hand axe, mace, sword, and warhammer.
Power (3): Thief skills find traps, remove traps, open locks.
Power (3): design/build/repair automaton

Power (1): technological dabbling (in a non-alien setting replace)
Power (1): personal automaton
Tradeoff (1): progressive personal automaton increase (effectively a 1 for 2 delay given you get almost two proficiencies worth)
Tradeoff (1): for 7/9/13, 13 brought forward as its a half ability.
   Power at 7: One of inventing, jury rigging, or tinkering.
   Power at 9: precision
   Power at 12: mass production
Save: Save as thief

Magic items: THF

Requirements and Prime requisites: Went with INT as the prime even though it's a Dex based build. This is like a machine wizard. Lacking any CHA or DEX focus makes them odd choices here. Also I don’t want them to be able to transfer points into Dex. 

Post 9 hp: as thief = 2 per level

XP: 500+ 750 = 1250; no need to round 7; Post 8 = THF 100,000 per level

Proficiencies: a blend of the dwarven mechanist with a bit more base thief.

Notes:

I was so torn on the 1d4 hit dice, but in the end they can build machines/vehicles that encase them to handle some of the loss (I will post some hit point suits later). The armor is so they can wear suits requiring heavy armor and machines that make better armor. At second level they have similar hit points to fighters due to the rapid leveling, so they are not so bad early on.

Edit:
The key change in this revision is to give 1000gp to personal automaton per level, rather than an extra 7,000 at level 5. This is to encourage the player to constantly tinker with it as they level to take advantage of the extra value. Compared to the original you get less value by level 5 , but overall you get almost an extra proficiency worth of value (6000 more at levels 9 and over). But over level 9 an extra 6,000 in value is very minor in effect given the wealth you had to accumulate to get there. I costed this as a simple trading of 2 for 1 without specifying the levels (its around a 4/10 on average). I reshuffled all the other abilities, bringing one forward as its half the value of the equivalent power it was borrowed from.

Oct 2020 - I just notice they didnt have the thief skill sentance, added.